


Like You Love Me

by marmolady



Series: Endless Ending [10]
Category: Endless Summer (Visual Novel)
Genre: Choices, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063336
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marmolady/pseuds/marmolady
Summary: Post-ending (Endless Ending). Clinging together at the end of the world, Michelle and Quinn’s friendship may just be blossoming into something more.





	Like You Love Me

For so long, each day on La Huerta was much the same as the next; ‘paradise’. Soft sands, tropical forests, luxury accommodation. But nothing to look forward to, no goals to reach for, just static paradise… a lifelong vacation or a prison.

Perhaps more than most, Michelle had struggled to accept this new reality. It hadn’t  _had_ to happen. Rourke had it in his power to revive the world, to bring it all back, to send them home. But he was gone now, kicked into literal oblivion. There had been no time at all to think things through; a few minutes for each of her friends to put forth an opinion and then it was a matter of numbers. In the initial aftermath, she’d struggled not to feel resentment toward those who’d chosen this outcome, essentially pulling the trigger on the whole world. With everything she’d known pulled out from under her feet, the distraught Michelle had found consolation in Quinn, her closest friend. Finally believing she might live to see the world, to have a life of adventure, to reunite her family, Quinn had been shattered when that newly restored dream came crashing down. The two of them rode out the emotional storm together, each offering the other a shoulder. It made it possible to face each empty tomorrow.

Those first weeks were a blur of days and nights, the survivors coming to terms of the shock of everything that had happened. The atmosphere was either one of blissful elation at surviving, celebrating the home they’d found, or despair at the desolation and destruction that loomed beyond the horizon. Some days were a mix of both, sometimes there would be long stretches of one mood or the other. Tensions within the group flared up, the resentment bubbled forth, but somehow the bonds survived the turbulent period of transition. In the end, those who begrudged the final decision were not prepared to lose anyone else. The need to blame was not nearly as strong as the urge to hold onto few remaining loved ones. Quinn, worldly wise before her time, would simply not allow the group to fracture, and was one of the most dedicated peace-keepers during the healing process. The ray of sunshine on the gloomiest of days. The one Michelle could talk to, no matter what… and even as everyone settled into their new reality, that relationship carried on, strengthened by the storm it had carried them through.

And life got better. Michelle, with no lofty goals to strive towards, was initially lost, but found herself able, for the first time she could remember, to simply pause and  _be_ , with no need to follow a plan. Again, Quinn was the shining light that she followed, inspiring with her knack for living in each and every moment. Gratefully, she encouraged her friend to find her own dream -restricted though it might be by the isolation of their small world-, to find a new identity, no longer ‘Quinn, the dying girl’.  They became a creative duo, working together to source ingredients for Quinn’s cupcakes, and dabbling in making luxurious lotions- a hobby Michelle had long wanted to pursue, but never had the time for. And then it the way forward became clear; Michelle had been playing the doctor all this time, tending to her friends’ wounds and maladies through the worst of times. Her education might be gone, but who she was could not be taken away. With Quinn by her side, she set up a clinic of her own, taking from Rourke’s impressive library to carry on her learning the only way she could. The expeditions to MASADA began; supplies sourced for a medical centre, and the gang coming together on a mission… just like it was before the world ended. Without knowing how it happened, Michelle realised that she was happy again, that her future might just be worth living. In a world with a human population that had fallen to near nothing… she’d never felt less lonely.

The sudden change in climate was jarring as always, and the expedition group was soon sweating buckets as they stumbled out of La Huerta’s alpine region and into the tropics, weighed down with backpacks full of supplies.

“Oh god,” Michelle groaned, leaning against a tree as she stripped off another layer of clothing. “it’s like I’m hiking through a sauna…”

Sean wiped sweat from his brow and sat on a rock. His large frame meant that traversing the jungle required a lot of ducking and weaving, which coupled with the weight being carried, made the journey an intense workout. He pulled out a water bottle from his pack- still chilled from their hike through the snow. “Here,” he said, passing it to Michelle. “Pass it around- if we can cool down and make this bag lighter, that’s a win.”

She took it gratefully, taking a long swig and splashing her face to cool down. “Thanks.” Smiling appreciatively, she gave Sean a nod and passed the bottle on to Quinn, whose pale skin was a flaming red. She gave a sharp whistle, catching the attention of those at the front of the group. “We’re taking a break!”

There was an almost universal sigh of relief. Craig flopped down right there on the spot, leaving Jake, Estela and Taylor to climb over him in order to regroup.

There was a slight frown on Estela’s face. “We shouldn’t stop too long; it’ll be dark soon.”

“Half an hour, okay?” Michelle reasoned, combing damp hair from Quinn’s face with her fingers. “We’re right by the river, and if I don’t cool off soon, I will not be fun to be around.”

The heavy packs of supplies were piled up together against a tree, with Quinn and Michelle hanging back while everyone else made quick tracks with the promise of a refreshing dip.

Michelle groaned and sank onto the ground, looking up at her friend with an affectionate smile.

“When you signed up to become a doctor, I bet no one warned you about the treks through a remote tropical jungle, hey?” Quinn asked, a tired laugh in her voice.

“Rourke  _would_ the sort of asshole who’d keep all his medical supplies in the middle of some godforsaken tundra, that could only be reached  _through_ said jungle.”

Even as her legs felt like jelly, Michelle looked at the scenario with great satisfaction. In her own way, unorthodox though it was, she was making it. When Quinn sat down beside her, their hands brushed together briefly. A pink blush was easily visible on Quinn’s cheeks. Her lily-white skin kept no secrets, and Michelle could see the effect she had clear as day. Michelle held her cards closer to her chest. She’d entertained the idea of reaching to kiss Quinn’s pearlescent cheeks, her perfect lips. Many times. She recalled the first; after a heart-to-heart when Quinn had cried over her parents’ wedding anniversary. In her grief, Quinn had searched out Michelle, the one person above all who she could pour her heart out to. That face, wet with tears, showing a vulnerability that belied the surprising core strength that Quinn had always held… Michelle had looked into it and loved her utterly.

“Quinn…”

“Are you still thirsty?”

Michelle smiled. “I’m just fine. I wondered if you wanted to sit by the waterfall with me?” Her heart felt to pound against her throat as she reached to stroke Quinn’s hand with her little finger.

Their eyes met.

A pleasant tingle ran the length of Quinn’s spine. “I’d like that.”

 

* * *

 

In a languorous section of river, the rest of the group had already hit the water, still-clothed in the desperation for relief from the stifling afternoon heat. Jake and Craig had realised that there was much fun to be had by loudly singing the theme from  _Jaws_ whenever Estela swam by, in spite of warnings from Sean and Taylor that they were asking for trouble.

Quinn and Michelle dragged their feet up the well-worn trail up to the top of the babbling waterfall. Hidden in a shroud of thick foliage, they could sit in the refreshing stream in blissful peace, undisturbed by the splashing and laughing that rang from the river below.

“I said  _by_ the waterfall!” Michelle protested, smiling, as Quinn sat herself down in the centre of the running stream, letting the water flow over her lap as she perched on the slippery rocks.

“Meech, I thought you wanted to cool down?”

That cheeky wink was too endearing to resist. Michelle followed carefully, reaching out for Quinn as the wet stones shifted beneath her feet.

Quinn helped her down beside her, beaming with the simple pleasure of her company. “It’s a good thing you’ve got such great balance.”

“As if you’d let me drown…”

“As if you’d get your hair wet…”

Both women fell into a fit of giggles, the type that tiredness had its way of bringing out. When they caught their breath, Quinn was leaning on Michelle’s shoulder, their faces barely inches apart. The water spray had left tiny droplets on Michelle’s long eyelashes… and Quinn was near enough to see each detail. Michelle’s gaze lingered on her friend’s cherry lips and then flicked to those strikingly blue eyes.

For several magic moments, the rush of water faded to silence as Quinn brought her slight fingers to Michelle’s face, guiding her closer. In Quinn’s eyes, Michelle could see hope, nervousness, and something like devotion. Her heart pounded, ringing in her ears while all other sounds were lost to her, but she relaxed into Quinn’s soft touch… drawing her in until their lips met in the gentlest of kisses.

Michelle closed her eyes, lost in the caress of Quinn’s lips, so unfathomably soft, and deepened the kiss, to her friend’s clear delight. The tenderness was, real, and warm, and breathtaking. Her sweet Quinn… the most beautiful soul she’d ever know. When she came away, the make-up covering her cheeks could not hide the fierce blush.

“Was that… okay?” Quinn ventured, gently.

“I… didn’t know it could feel like that. It felt like you… love me. You really love… me.”

Their eyes met, faces an inch apart.

“I do.”

Michelle’s breath shook. She’d heard those words before. Sean had told her he loved her once upon a time. But those had been… words. They had no weight, no truth behind them. When Quinn spoke, she could hear in those words the feelings that seemed close to bursting from her own chest. But what would happen if she  _said_  it? The point of no return.

Dainty fingers stroked through her dirty blonde hair, catching in twigs and tangles, and she looked into the fondest of smiles.

“Michelle, you don’t have to say it back,” Quinn whispered.

She shook her head. “I’ve had enough bullshitting. My whole life back home was keeping up appearances, making sure I fit the mould I had in my head. Where did that get me? Alone.  _Fucking alone_. And all I really wanted was to be the one to take care of people. I’m done hiding.”

“Okay. Then… how do you feel. Just the honest truth. I care, and I want to listen.”

 _I know you do._ It was what Michelle loved about Quinn; she was so open and kind. A heart of gold. If there was anyone she could pour out her fears and desires to, the thoughts that kept her awake at night, it would always be Quinn.

“You’ve been my rock, my best friend.” A slight pause. “And… I think I’m falling in love with you.” She couldn’t help but smile as the redhead’s eyes widened. “It’s just that I’d never even  _considered_  it as something that might happen to me. Having feelings like that for another woman. My life has been about ticking boxes, making everything perfect. It’s like… I’ve always had to meet my own expectations of myself. I can’t handle it when I just…  _don’t._ Or I couldn’t; I think I’m trusting myself more now. That future I had to be perfect for doesn’t exist, and I’m trapped forever on this island, but I think I feel freer. Does that make sense?”

Quinn hugged her close. She understood. All this time, she’d seen the change in her dearest friend, seen her blossom into someone so much surer of herself. “That makes perfect sense. You’ve had to readjust the whole way you looked at your life- at yourself. I know how that feels- and it’s overwhelming sometimes.”

For a little while, they held one another, content to just be quietly together. Whatever this was between them, it was heartfelt, honest, and beautiful.

It was Quinn who broke through the sweet silence. “I’ve always admired you, you know? You were always so fierce in taking care of your friends. You might throw barbed words around, but you could never hide the heart of you. I was dying, away from home, away from everything I knew and loved, but I always felt safe when you were there.”

Michelle nuzzled her face into her friend’s hair, loving her, while her stomach felt to be doing somersaults. Could she actually do this? For real? Her mouth became dry. “I don’t know if I’m ready to have a girlfriend. My head’s still catching up with my emotions. I’m not even sure if I can see myself that way, let alone have the world- well, this freaking island- see it too. I’m still… adjusting.”

Quinn pressed a delicate kiss to the side of her face. “That’s okay. I would  _never_ want to make you uncomfortable.”

Michelle couldn’t hold back a soft, tinkling laugh. “Why do you think I’ve got it so bad for you? I swear, you’re a literal angel.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” The redhead winked. “But maybe you’ll find out about  _that_  later…”

They both broke into giggles. As they both looked up, Michelle brought a hand to Quinn’s face. Once again, she could feel her heart pounding, the back of her neck flushing with heat. This was new, it frightened her a little, but in Quinn’s smiling eyes she saw paradise. With gentle fingers she tipped her friend’s face towards hers and met her in a sweet kiss, growing in confidence as their lips danced.

“Whatever this is… it feels nice,” Michelle breathed. “I can’t remember the last time I felt quite this happy…”

“Me too. So, why don’t we just… take it slow, see what happens. If this is what the journey feels like, I want to work this out with you.”

A sudden shriek from the river below made both girls jump apart. They crept forward to peer through the foliage, and once again, Quinn couldn’t hold back the laughter.

“I didn’t know Craig’s voice could go that high!”

Michelle smirked. “Never underestimate Estela. Knowing Craig, I’m pretty sure he earned the dunking… god knows I’ve been tempted to try and drown him.”

“Michelle!”

She laughed. “I’m kidding!” Her smile widened as Quinn took her hand. For now, no one could see; this was their secret. Michelle took a quick glance through the bushes, down to where everyone else was distracted by the fact that Estela had once again vanished beneath the water- no doubt preparing to sneak up on someone else. Satisfied that no one would spot them, she pressed a clandestine kiss to Quinn’s cheek. “We should start moving.”

“Yeah,” Quinn agreed somewhat sadly. It was like they’d entered a tiny dream world that was all their own. Once they left it, might it be as though they’d never shared those moments? “We don’t want Craig lost in the dark…”

“… again.”

Quinn giggled. “Again.”

To hear that sweet laugh… it made Michelle feel like she was floating on a cloud. It was a new kind of happiness, daring and free reflecting the person she was becoming. With a smirk over her shoulder, she led the way through the foliage to a rocky ridge below. She could do daring. “Jump in?”

Quinn took Michelle’s hand and felt a wonderful jolt of electricity as their eyes met. “Oh, honey… but your lovely hair…”

“As if this humidity hasn’t already screwed it over!” Michelle laughed. “I want to try something new. With you.”

“With you.”

With a cry to their friends below to watch their heads, Michelle and Quinn leapt hand in hand to the cool river below. Taking the plunge into something new.


End file.
